BAGAC, Bataan- Many mistake her for a college student with a ready smile, but no, she is the 28-year old Municipal Health Officer of this picturesque mountain town adjacent to the West Philippine Sea.
Dr. Ann Ysabel Gonzales was a scholar during her college days at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. She is young but with a purpose. She wants to serve the least fortunate so she joined the Doctor to the Barrio Program after passing the Board Exam for Physicians.
She smiles a lot putting her patients at ease and talking with them like an old acquaintance.
After 10 months of serving the municipal health office of Morong, another Bataan municipality, she was assigned in Bagac last November, 2013.
She observed that the common ailments in Bagac are cough, cold, fever and loose bowel movement.
She is happy to announce that no dengue case has been reported for the last three months as well as for measles and typhoid.
The young doctor said the health center has supply of medicines for those seeking medical consultations, supplied by the Department of Health and the Bagac municipal government under Mayor Ramil del Rosario.
She is thankful for having a very supportive mayor and municipal administrator in the person of Nick Ancheta, making her task of looking after the health needs of the villagers easy. She, however, wanted more stocks of medicines for easy access of the common folks.
About the use of herbal medicines, Gonzales has no objection but should be on doctor’s advice. “Kung gusto ng pasyente at bumubuti ang kalagayan at pakiramdam niya, why not, pero, huwag kalimutan ang doctor’s side,” she said.
